Stump the Intern!

Q: Whenever I go on interviews, I dread questions like “What would you say are your weaknesses?” or “Give me an example of a situation in which you were not successful in your endeavor.” Who wants to talk negatively about themselves in a situation where they are doing the exact opposite—selling themselves as a good candidate?! It drives me crazy.

Signed,
Throw me a bone, would you?

A: Okay, here’s your bone. I, too, feel awkward talking about my shortcomings. I’ve gone on lots of interviews and I haven’t quite figured out why, exactly, interviewers ask these questions. The important thing, says one of Vault’s resident career experts, Caroline Ceniza-Levine, is to “prepare truthful but concise responses to these tough job search questions and move forward quickly. “ So stick to her advice and let us know how you fare.

--Posted by Sophie Friedman, Vault Web Content Intern